


Sea Dance

by deepestbluest



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, Day At The Beach, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22886146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deepestbluest/pseuds/deepestbluest
Summary: Iruka is Naruto's dad even if he doesn't have the papers to prove it, Kakashi would like a kiss, and Naruto has a squirt gun.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 20
Kudos: 289





	Sea Dance

**Author's Note:**

> Listen........ I know a lot of this is full-on not how things work, but I was having fun, and reality is boring

From the safety of the bus, Kakashi watches a shirtless Naruto chase Sasuke around the parking lot, contraband squirt gun aimed at the back of Sasuke’s head. Right behind him, fist aimed at Naruto’s head and voice raised in warning, is Sakura.

“Remind me why we’re doing this?” Kakashi asks.

Behind him, Iruka chuckles. “They're children who deserve to have fun, and we deserve some time off to remember why we like teaching. And the principal wants to go on vacation.”

“Without us,” Kakashi points out as he reluctantly disembarks, leaving behind the safety of the bus for the company of the punishing summer sun and even more punishing children.

“Do you really want to go on vacation with Tsunade?”

Kakashi thinks back to the open glee on Tsunade’s face when she told them her plan was to get drunk with the vice principal and gamble everything. “I suppose I don't.”

"That's the right way to look at it, I think."

Arms laden with a massive beach bag, two coolers, a chair, an umbrella, and Naruto’s shirt, Iruka sidles down the bus’ stairs after Kakashi. He wobbles a little, and Kakashi reaches out to steady him with a hand on his shoulder.

Iruka flashes a smile at him, steadying himself as Kakashi pulls his hand back. “Thank you. If I fall over with all this, they'll never forgive me.”

Kakashi clears his throat, pushing aside the feeling of holding onto Iruka’s shoulder. “I'd be more worried about you not surviving the weight of that bag, to be honest.”

“It's not so bad this time,” Iruka says with a laugh. “Guy remembered to bring his water weights in his own bag, and without those, this is just unwieldy.”

Shaking his head, Kakashi plucks the umbrella and the chair out of Iruka’s hands, giving himself a different sense memory.

“Our spoiled students may not help, but I suppose I ought to,” he says lightly.

Iruka sighs, and Kakashi smiles to himself.

Maybe a day at the beach won't be so bad.

⁂

Naruto is intentionally aiming at Kakashi’s book.

“Iruka-sensei,” Kakashi complains after yet another close call with the squirt gun. He'd hoped he would be safe this far from the water, but Naruto has been making excuses to come bother them. “Can't you say something to him? Desecrating literature like this… Where's his appreciation for art?”

From his spot on a towel just outside the umbrella, Iruka asks, “Where's the art to appreciate?”

His sunglasses hide his eyes, but his mouth is fighting a smile.

Iruka is the most professional member of Hidden Leaf’s staff- usually. He teaches the large groups of the younger students on his own, and the longer Kakashi teaches his small team of older ones, the more appreciation he gets for how much skill Iruka has for him to be able to maintain order in his classes. Naruto still catches Kakashi off-guard with his pranks sometimes, but as far as Kakashi can tell, Iruka hasn't been outdone by a student since Naruto was first assigned to him.

It's a little frightening.

He's usually so put together and polite, Kakashi can almost forget that Iruka outdoes his students largely because he thinks the same way they do.

Trudging back to his chair and the safety of the shade, Kakashi says, “Art is subjective.”

Iruka hums. “It must be.”

Kakashi is sure Iruka is laughing at him, but he doesn't mind.

⁂

Neji flings Rock Lee into the water.

Lee emerges, spluttering, and shouts another challenge at him.

“Guy’s business,” Iruka says as Kakashi starts to get up. “He and Genma are supervising his team.”

“So we shouldn't help?” Kakashi looks at Iruka sharply. “That doesn't sound like you.”

Guy intercepts Lee, who comes to an immediate stop.

If only Kakashi’s students had half that much respect for him.

“We have a more pressing problem.” Iruka doesn't move. “Sasuke’s probably going to do the same thing to Naruto in a minute, and the two of them are far more likely to escalate into an actual fight than Lee and Neji. Don't you think?”

Over by the water, Guy is speaking rapidly with Lee. Genma is shaking his head at Neji, probably more annoyed about having to get up than bothered by Neji throwing Lee. And Neji is leaning into Tenten in the most teenage boy move Kakashi has seen in a while.

Closer to Kakashi and Iruka, Naruto and Sasuke are wrestling. Sakura is shaking her head from the towel she's sharing with the Yamanaka girl from Asuma’s group. Naruto and Sasuke must not be too serious yet if she isn't trying to get them to stop.

Setting his book aside, Kakshi sighs. “Can't we leave them to Guy, too?”

Iruka chuckles. “We could, but he'd adopt them, and then what would we do?”

“Not have to stop them killing each other?”

“Yes, but you'd be known as the teacher whose students all wear Guy’s uniform. Are you ready for that?”

Kakashi groans. 

⁂

Naruto’s next attempt to get Kakashi wet is almost successful.

He does manage to squirt someone with a second squirt gun- Kakashi has a sneaking suspicion the Inuzuka boy had a hand in this, but Tenten also has cargo pants, which Kakashi knows not to trust- but Kakashi isn't the person he hits.

Iruka is already on it, kneeling in the sand in front of Hinata and checking her face for anything he'll need to treat with more than a clean towel.

Over his shoulder, Kurenai gives Kakashi a knowing look. She's Hinata’s teacher now, but Iruka has a hair-trigger comfort instinct, especially when Naruto is involved.

He really is an interesting mixture of annoyed by Naruto and paternally enamored with him.

There's a betting pool on when he'll give in and adopt the kid. Kakashi is doing well; Guy lost ages ago, having projected his own forward nature on Iruka’s more formal one.

“Naruto!” Iruka snaps. “Apologize to Hinata!”

Looking at the girl who caught the jet of water Kakashi dodged, he feels a pang of guilt. He’d been distracted as he returned to Iruka and moved out of the way without thinking about the girl behind him innocently trying to make her way back to her friends.

The water would have hit Kakashi’s chest, but it hit her face squarely.

“It's okay,” Hinata tells Iruka quietly. She isn't looking at him or at Naruto, and Kakashi feels a second pang, this one of sympathy.

Anyone with a crush on Naruto is in for a world of disappointment, as Sasuke is either learning or completely safe from. Kakashi can't tell which way things are going with his team.

Glancing over at Sasuke, Kakashi watches him smirk and shakes his head. He'd thought Sakura and her crush would be the hardest to manage, but she’s been growing out of it almost entirely on her own.

The boys on the other hand... Kakashi isn't sure if it's mutual crushes or actual contempt.

“Sorry, Hinata,” Naruto says. He looks embarrassed, at least. “I only wanted to hit Kakashi-sensei. I didn't even see you.”

Iruka’s eye twitches. “That doesn't make it better!”

“It was an accident! I really didn't see her…”

Hinata shrinks, and Kakashi sends up his thanks to any listening gods that he never went through this stage.

“Stop talking!” Iruka hisses.

“It's not my fault she's so quiet,” Naruto mumbles. "Who would have noticed her?"

“Excuse me?” Iruka asks, voice rising. He turns fully toward Naruto.

“It's really fine, Sensei,” Hinata tries. Kakashi can respect the effort; it can't be easy for such a shy kid to contradict a teacher, especially one as loud as Iruka. “I don't mind.”

“You're very forgiving, Hinata-chan,” Iruka tells her over his shoulder. His anger disappears as he gives her a reassuring smile. “That's a very nice trait! But forgiveness doesn't mean bad behavior should go without correction. Especially when it's due to carelessness,” he adds, turning back to Naruto.

Kakashi watches realization dawn on Naruto’s face.

“H-Hey, Sensei,” Naruto stutters. “It was an accident, right? Hinata's fine. No big deal!”

“It was! Which is why you won't mind the consequences of it.”

Naruto looks at Kakashi for help.

Kakashi shrugs. He isn't willing to incur Iruka’s wrath by disagreeing with him over this when he has similar things to say about Naruto’s recklessness.

“Sensei, please,” he whines.

There's no way to tell which of them he means.

“Get over here,” Iruka says. 

In the space of a second, Naruto’s expression shifts from dread to smugness. “No thanks!”

He takes off toward the water, and Iruka flies after him with a cry of Naruto’s name.

They hit the water with Naruto still in the lead.

Kakashi returns to his chair and applies another layer of sunscreen.

Naruto merrily shouts Iruka’s name back, and Kakashi looks over in time to see the two of them emerge, Naruto only a few steps ahead as he breaks into a gasping run. Iruka is hot in his heels, also breathing hard but not outdone yet.

⁂

Sasuke wanders over to the cooler under Kakashi’s umbrella just as Iruka corners Naruto for the second time.

“They've got so much energy.”

He sounds drained just from looking at them.

“They do,” Kakashi agrees. “It's nice, though, isn't it? Too many schools lose that energy or focus it elsewhere. Hidden Leaf excels because we’re happy. Knowledge is useless if it brings you nothing, right?"

Sasuke looks at him sharply. “You know about Sound, don't you?”

“I’d be a pretty sad teacher if I couldn't recognize people trying to poach one of my students.”

Kakashi doesn't mention that Anko took him aside and told him that Sasuke’s recent erratic behavior reminds her of her own when she'd been trying one of the experimental performance enhancing drugs Sound's principal makes.

“You aren't going to try to convince me to stay?” Sasuke asks.

“I want to, but you're the type that hates being held onto. But if you want me to be honest, I'd hate it if you left.” Kakashi gives Sasuke his most insufferable smile. “Maybe it's because I've only had one team, but I’m very attached to you three. Hidden Sound can give you certain advantages, but you'll never find happiness there. You'll get strong and surpass your brother, but you'll have no goal for the rest of your life. Maybe it will take longer with us, but you'll have friends in Hidden Leaf. You'll never be alone because you're loved. It's better to go slow and keep your friends than to be a genius on your own. At least, that's what I think.”

The l-word is one Kakashi tries to be careful with. Sasuke doesn't want it anymore, or so he's decided.

Kakashi decided the same thing.

He's no Obito, but maybe, if he and Naruto and Sakura work hard, Sasuke will see the merits of living for good things, just like Kakashi did.

For a long moment, Sasuke stares at him. He doesn't say anything as he reaches into the cooler and pulls out a bottle of water.

Naruto shouts, and Kakashi and Sasuke look over, searching out Naruto and Iruka.

Sasuke chokes when he spots them. “Are they really-”

“They are,” Kakashi says with a sigh.

Iruka and Naruto are facing each other. Naruto has a hand on the waistband of Iruka’s board shorts at his hip. Iruka has one hand on the front of them; the other hand is clasped around Naruto’s other arm.

They're glaring at each other, silently arguing.

Iruka moves first. Rather than try to fight Naruto as he is, he drops to his knees, dragging Naruto into him, and hauls Naruto over his shoulder.

Naruto complains loudly about cheating as Iruka gets to his feet. One hand keeps Naruto in place; the other reaches around and grabs the back of his waistband before Naruto can adapt his strategy.

One step ahead, as always.

Naruto tries to squirm free as Iruka carries him away, but Iruka uses the hand on his back to tickle him. The shouting turns into laughter a moment later.

There are holes in Kakashi’s heart shaped like a man and a woman. He doesn't remember his mother, but he’s always felt the absence of the woman he’s always been told loved his father and him dearly.

Watching Iruka laugh and bounce Naruto on his shoulder, it's the hole shaped like his father that feels like it's starting to bleed.

“Happiness, huh?” Sasuke repeats to himself.

Kakashi nods. “Happiness.”

⁂

By the time Iruka reaches Kakashi and deposits Naruto on his towel, Sasuke has returned to his classmates.

“This is your punishment,” Iruka declares. He's winded, and his hair is falling out of its neat ponytail. “You're going to sit with us until I decide you've reflected on your behavior enough to go back out.”

Naruto grumbles but doesn't seem that put out.

“That's very lenient of you,” Kakashi points out. “Letting him sit with his favorite teacher.”

Iruka looks at him grimly. “But he also has to sit with us while Sasuke spends at least half an hour with Sakura alone.”

"Alone" meaning "on a beach with their friends and teachers but without Naruto immediately nearby".

“What!” Naruto looks at Iruka sharply. “Sensei, you can't!”

“I can, and I am. Maybe if you hadn't been so dismissive of hurting Hinata, you wouldn't be stuck here.”

“This punishment is cruel and unusual,” Naruto grouses.

“Is it?” Iruka adjusts his beach chair so he can lie down on his belly. Kakashi watches him stretch out, his skin still wet from the water and the water droplets catching the sunlight. “You hurt her because you were careless, and your insincere apology made it worse. I know you know how to treat people. So you can sit here and reflect on your behavior with your teachers while other people have fun.”

Kakashi keeps his expression bland, but he's curious about this unexpected punishment.

Iruka knows Naruto has spent years being left out. Making him sit out again does seem cruel.

Kakashi looks over at Iruka, but Iruka is lying with his face toward the ground.

Naruto mumbles something Kakashi doesn't catch but stays where he is.

⁂

Twenty minutes pass like that, and Kakashi is starting to wonder how long Iruka is going to make Naruto stay like this when Sasuke and Sakura come traipsing over.

“Um, Sensei,” Sakura says, “could Naruto maybe come back now?”

She looks between Kakashi and Iruka’s back.

“He's part of our team,” Sasuke adds. “If he can't come out with us, can we at least sit with him here?”

Naruto makes a soft, hopeful noise and looks up from his lap for the first time since Iruka turned his back on him.

“It's up to Iruka-sensei,” Kakashi says. Whatever Iruka is up to, this is his problem to solve.

Rolling over, Iruka sits up and looks at Sakura and Sasuke sternly. “You missed your friend, so you came to get him? Is that it?”

They exchange looks, then nod.

“And he looks kind of sad,” Sakura adds. “He didn't mean to talk like that.”

“That excuses his behavior?” Iruka looks over at Naruto. “Does it?”

Deflating, Naruto shakes his head. “No, Sensei.”

“Then you've learned your lesson.” Iruka waves at Naruto to get up. “Go on. Go have fun with your friends.”

“Really?” Naruto asks. His eyes have begun to shine. “You mean it?”

“Of course.” Iruka smiles at him softly. “I know you were thinking hard. That's all I wanted you to do.”

Naruto hops to his feet, but he doesn't run off immediately. He looks at Iruka for a moment, his mouth moving like he's trying to say something but doesn't know how.

“Thanks, Sensei,” is what he settles on, but Kakashi can tell that isn't what he was trying to say.

“Why are you still here?” Iruka asks. “You see me every day. Go play in the ocean!”

Grinning, Naruto runs off.

Sasuke and Sakura say their thanks as well before taking off after him.

They don't go right to the spot where they'd been playing earlier. Naruto leads them to the spot where Team 8’s Inuzuka and his dog have buried the other two members of the team in the sand.

Naruto tentatively walks over to Hinata and, hand on the back of his head, appears to make a second, sincere attempt at apologizing.

“His timing really is bad, isn't it?” Kakashi asks.

"He's trying," Iruka says with a sigh.

Trapped as she is, all Hinata can do is blush and mumble.

Naruto moves on soon after, Sasuke and the other unburied boys right behind him. Sakura stays with Hinata, and Inojin’s daughter and the two boys from her team join them after a while.

Neji and Tenten stay where they are in the shade of one of the umbrellas.

Kurenai and Asuma are sitting together near the water.

Guy is starting some sort of competition with Kotetsu and Izumo, which Genma is clearly steering clear of.

“That was quite a master plan, Iruka-sensei,” Kakashi says. “Making Naruto sit over here like that so Sakura and Sasuke would come get him- he’ll remember that more than the sting of being pulled aside.”

Iruka, who’s already turned back onto his stomach, shakes his head. “I really hate that kind of discipline, especially since he wasn't being malicious, but he wouldn't have thought it over properly if I’d let him stay with his friends.”

“You aren't like his other teachers,” Kakashi says. “He knows that.”

“I never said that was something I was worried about.”

“You didn't have to. No one in the school is more worried about his happiness as you are. Of course you're concerned about making him relive the time before you took him under your wing.” Kakashi picks his book up. “It's a hazard of loving people. You want them to be better, but you're afraid of hurting them to do it.” 

He feels Iruka absorb that.

Kakashi may not get through to Sasuke, but Iruka is a different story.

⁂

“You know that reapplying sunscreen every half hour isn't really helping, right?”

Kakashi sighs. “My skin burns easily. You'll notice that I wear a mask all the time but don't have any kind of tan line." He pulls his mask down on the side to show his uniformly pale face. "Since I can't wear a shirt without people trying to take that off, too, this is the best I can do.”

Iruka frowns at him for a long moment, then turns around and starts rummaging in the big beach bag. He mutters to himself as he does, sounding more agitated the longer he searches, until he makes a triumphant noise and turns back around, a bottle in hand.

“Zinc oxide,” he says. “It won't absorb, so it looks a little funny, but if you put some on the places most prone to burning, it will do a good job of protecting them.”

Kakashi reaches out and takes it. “For one of your students?”

“Just in case,” Iruka says with a nod. “My mother had very fair skin that burned easily, too. We always kept some in the house for her.” He smiles, but eyes are distant. “She used to fall asleep under the umbrella when we went to the beach, and my father would put some on her mouth. When she woke up, she'd be annoyed. He'd tell her it was because he didn't want to risk missing a day without a kiss from her, and she'd try to kiss him without rubbing it off.”

There's no anger in his expression, only wistfulness.

“So that's where the pranks come from,” Kakashi says.

“Probably.” Iruka clears his throat. “Sorry about that. It's been a habit to bring this for so long that I'd forgotten why I started doing it in the first place.”

Kakashi waves the apology off. “It's not a bad thing to remember loved ones. If remembering them makes us happy, then it must make them happy, too.”

He shakes the bottle before uncapping it and squeezing a generous blob into his palm. He rubs some over his nose, which is starting to feel too hot, only for Iruka to catch his hand.

“You aren't trying to make it absorb,” he reminds Kakashi as Kakashi looks over at him. “Rubbing it in is the opposite of what you want to do. Let me?”

Kakashi nods, and Iruka shifts over so he's kneeling beside the chair. He gathers some of the zinc up with one finger and smears it down Kakashi’s nose.

“The feeling of it sitting on your skin is weird af first,” he warns.

“I wouldn't think you'd need it,” Kakashi says wryly.

Iruka laughs as he collects more, his fingers dragging over Kakashi’s palm. “Not like my mother did, but I do burn. The first time it happened, she started slathering me in this stuff and didn't stop until my father insisted that it was overkill. I still take care; my skin just isn't quite as vulnerable as yours."

He says it with a quirk of a smile, and the sun isn't the reason Kakashi’s face gets hot.

“Where else do you tend to burn? Tips of the ears, right? Shoulders, too?”

Kakashi nods.

Iruka nods back and tilts Kakashi’s head so he can put a coat on the tips of Kakashi’s ears.

His hands don't linger after he covers Kakashi’s shoulders, but the memory of his hands does.

“What about your scar?” Iruka asks, pointing to his own eye.

Kakashi nods again.

“Do you want to do it? Since it's your eye?”

“I can't see it without a mirror, so it would be easier if you would.”

Iruka doesn't argue about it being strange, which is nice. He doesn't linger on it either, just carefully covers Kakashi’s skin.

“It isn't designed for eyelids, so you'll definitely want to keep your eye closed.”

Kakashi nods. He usually does that anyway when he isn't wearing his eyepatch; the change in his eye color from getting hurt attracts more attention than keeping it shut. He can't see out of it anyway, so there's no sense in keeping it open.

“What about you?” he asks, motioning at Iruka’s nose. “Doesn't that burn?”

“Only if I don't use a regular sunscreen,” Iruka says. 

He doesn't talk about his scar, but he doesn't entirely avoid it either. The children ask him about it frequently; he seems to enjoy spinning wilder and wilder stories about it. When adults ask, he shrugs off their questions with a simple, "Oh, it's nothing. It happened so long ago, I barely remember."

“It's rare for a scar to darken like that,” Kakashi observes, more interested in finding Iruka’s boundary than the answer itself.

“Not as rare as you'd think.” Done, Iruka wipes his hands off on his towel and returns to his chair. “It often happens when scars are exposed to too much sunlight when they're new. I went through a rebellious stage when I was little, and not wearing sunscreen like my mother insisted seemed like a good place to start.”

He shakes his head at himself but smiles as he does, and Kakashi’s heart stutters.

There aren't many people in Kakashi's life who smile as freely as Iruka does.

All his emotions are open and easy; it feels like he's always inviting Kakashi to join in with him. He isn't, though. Whatever Kakashi’s heart wants, Iruka is just the type of person who was made to live loudly, regardless of who's around him.

It's enough to be near him and be warmed by the brightness in his smile.

⁂

Kakashi tries not to feel bad about looking at Iruka’s ass. He slips his sunglasses on for plausible deniability; he could be looking at anything in that direction.

Their loose work uniforms don't do any of them justice, and Iruka’s loose board shorts aren't much of an improvement. They're a _little_ tighter, though.

It would be nice if Iruka didn't just wear school issue clothes. Kakashi has been thinking about undressing him for more than a year; having a better idea of what Iruka looks like would at least make his fantasies more consistent.

Going forward, he'll be consistently thinking about Irka with his shirt off, which is something.

Lying with his back up as Iruka is, Kakashi can follow the muscles as he shifts.

Down by the water, Sasuke flings Naruto into the ocean.

The sounds Naruto makes when he surfaces are reassuringly familiar.

⁂

An ice cream truck comes by, and Kakashi watches in amusement as Guy sends Lee on a mission to stop the truck so the entire pack of kids can get up and get something cold to eat.

“Oh,” Iruka says as he and Kakashi follow Team 7 over. “I know the driver.”

He doesn't sound happy about that, but everyone else seems perfectly content as the kids line up.

The line moves slowly, but by the time the kids have finished, both Guy and Kurenai have been treated to gifts from their students.

Asuma and Kakashi exchange looks. As expected, their teams returned with treats for themselves but didn't bother to bring back anything for their teachers.

“We would have gotten you something,” Naruto says as they rejoin Kakashi. He has four ice cream tacos in his hands, one of which he proudly explained is for Iruka, who slipped away to pay the ice cream driver. “But we figured you'd just waste it since you wouldn't eat it or you'd eat it fast so you couldn't see your face _and_ you'd get a headache.”

Sakura and Sasuke nod with the confidence of children who also overthought ice cream.

“Well, it's nice that you're so conscientious of the school's budget,” Kakashi tells them.

“Budget?” Naruto asks. “No, I just didn't want to watch you waste food.”

The other two nod their agreement.

Kakashi sighs. Naruto's fixation on food at least makes sense. Sakura and Sasuke are just being mean.

“You should have let me believe you just forgot, you know.”

Naruto shrugs, his attention wandering back to the truck. “Is Iruka-sensei going to be done soon? His Choco Taco is going to melt.”

Wondering the same, Kakashi looks over just in time to see Iruka’s expression shift from tense to angry.

“It's probably just a problem with sorting out the best way to pay for all this,” Kakashi lies. “Why don't you guys go hang out with Asuma-sensei?”

“But-”

Sakura cuts Naruto off. “Okay!”

Silently sending up thanks for pre-teen girls getting tired of pre-teen boys, Kakashi makes his way to the truck as Sakura tows Naruto with her to where Asuma's reluctantly being offered an ice cream cone by the Akimichi kid.

“-have a card reader,” Iruka says tersely. “It's right there.”

“It's out of order.”

“Bullshi- Kakashi-sensei. What are you doing here?”

“Things seemed to be taking a while,” Kakashi says slowly. “I thought maybe the school’s new credit card was giving you guys trouble.”

He smiles as he says it, but Iruka’s expression only grows more drawn. “There shouldn't be.”

“Well, if I can get a receipt I can submit, I should have enough cash to cover it. How much do we owe?”

Iruka’s jaw clenches as the man in the truck gives Kakashi the total, and Kakashi pulls out his wallet, fishes out enough bills, and holds them up to the window.

The man takes them and quickly makes change.

“A receipt as well, if you would,” Kakashi says.

Iruka glares at the man, and a minute later, the two of them are walking back to their students.

“Running into exes is fun, isn't it?” Kakashi asks.

“It's definitely something,” Iruka says quietly. “Would you mind holding this for me?”

He holds out a little dish, which Kakashi takes. Whatever happened between Iruka and that man is over now, and as he carries Iruka’s food over to the little playground where the kids have decided to play before heading back to the beach, he feels an unwarranted sense of satisfaction about that.

⁂

They head to the picnic tables, acknowledging the series of shrieks that follow the reappearance of Naruto's squirt gun but leaving it to Kurenai, who's also gotten unexpectedly wet, to sort out. Instead of sitting on the bench next to Kakashi, though, Iruka sits on top of the picnic table. He looks like he isn't entirely here anymore, which isn't a look that suits him.

“Your ice cream,” Kakashi says, holding the dish out.

Iruka blinks at him. “Oh, that's for you. It's frozen yoghurt, dark chocolate instead of regular, so it's not as sweet.”

“For me?” Kakashi repeats.

“You haven't had anything since we got here, and I figured I'd have better luck with this than anything in the coolers.” 

“Naruto told you I don’t like sweet things, didn't he?”

“He did,” Iruka says, and his eyes lose the thousand mile stars. “Cacao has all sorts of health benefits, so you should at least try it. If you hate it, I’ll eat it.”

“That’s why you're sitting like that.”

“You're keeping your face hidden, right? You won't eat if they can see.”

Kakashi shakes his head. He would have eaten it just because Iruka thought of him. “You win, Iruka-sensei. I'll try it.”

As promised, it isn't nearly as sweet as Kakashi had feared it would be. It's still a little sweeter than he likes, but he doesn't hate it.

Iruka plucks the spoon from his hand.

“Still too sweet,” Iruka says, taking the dish. “I’ll be making you drink something when we get back.”

“I was going to finish that.”

“Yes, you were, because you're polite about things that aren't your reading material. I'm hungry, though, and I do like sweet things.”

“Naruto got you a Choco Taco, but he already ate it, didn't he?”

Iruka sighs around his spoon. “He did.”

⁂

They return to the beach, and Iruka harangues Kakashi until he drinks from a bottle of the least unpalatable flavor of sports drink.

⁂

Lunchtime rolls around, Iruka hands out sandwiches and more drinks, and Kakashi wonders if there are any betting pools on when Iruka will get married.

He would be a great catch. He's handsome, fun, devoted, great with kids, and he's got a sweet streak under that toothless temper.

Kakashi would date him in a heartbeat, and he'd marry him just as fast.

⁂

An hour later, Kakashi is happily reading one of his favorite passages in his book while the students chase each other.

Something cold touches his arm, and when he looks over, Iruka is pushing a bottle of water at him.

“I've been drinking,” Kakashi protests.

“You haven't, or you would have noticed that I put the bottle back in the cooler twenty minutes ago,” Iruka says flatly. He pushes the bottle into Kakashi’s arm harder. “If you take at least two swallows, I’ll let you get back to your book.”

Kakashi pretends to consider the offer; he would have drunk the whole thing if Iruka had asked.

“Two swallows,” he says.

“Bigger than sips,” Iruka adds.

Kakashi nods and takes the bottle from him.

He closes his eyes and tilts the bottle up. He swallows twice from it, then opens his eyes and returns the bottle to Iruka, who accepts it with a strange look.

⁂

Sometime later, around the time Naruto and the others decide they want to bury Guy and Asuma, Iruka nudges him again.

Kakashi takes the bottle, swallows twice, and hands it back.

He doesn't know what to make of Iruka’s quiet, “Thank you,” so he doesn't say anything.

⁂

He must finish the bottle this way, because eventually, Iruka nudges him and says, “Sports drink, not water.”

Kakashi nods and takes the requisite swallows before returning it to Iruka.

⁂

Kakashi is the only person Iruka does this to. He calls to Naruto to get something to drink periodically, and to the other kids, but Kakashi is the only one he regularly plies with things to drink.

Kakashi isn't sure what to make of that either.

⁂

The characters in Kakashi's book go swimming at night. They have a quiet, secluded place without even the stars to watch them, and when they kiss, it's just for them.

Kakashi thinks about kissing Iruka like that.

If they were somewhere else, with no one around, Kakashi wouldn't have to keep his mask on. They could swim together like the couple in his book. He could lie down on his towel and wait for Iruka to come over and pull his mask down and kiss him with a heavy, possessive hand on his chest.

Iruka could put zinc on Kakashi’s lips while Kakashi napped, and Kakashi could kiss his chest and see if that part of his skin would stay lighter as he tans, leaving a kiss Iruka would keep with him until winter fades it.

But Kakashi could do it again the next year.

⁂

The sun is setting when Iruka pushes a drink at him for the last time.

“We’re going to start packing up soon,” he says.

“I'll start getting things together,” Kakashi tells him, closing his book and rocking to his feet.

Iruka smiles softly at him, and Kakashi's heart stutters.

That's where he'd leave a kiss- right over Iruka’s heart.

⁂

Iruka, like the rest of them, pulls on his uniform jacket and pants over his trunks.

Asuma wears his pants lower than he's supposed to, but Kakashi chalks that up to the looks Kurenai keeps shooting him.

Iruka would look good like that, and if he were doing it for Kakashi…

As if sensing Kakashi thinking about him, Iruka turns toward him.

“Are you coming, Kakashi-sensei?” he calls.

Kakashi, realizing he's standing in the middle of the parking lot, nods and jogs over.

⁂

Kakashi had hoped that a full day of running around on the beach would have tired the kids out, but as he and Iruka start putting things back on the bus, the only tired kid is Shikaku’s son, a boy who seems to have lost all his energy so Naruto could have extra.

“We can't do the drive through with this many, can we?” Kakashi asks hopefully, despite knowing the answer.

Iruka laughs. “No, we can't. They'll probably fall asleep right after they eat, though.”

⁂

The kids want to eat at the tables outside the fast food place, and rather than argue, Kakashi and the others let them have their way.

As they get settled at their tables and their teachers do the same, Kakashi watches Iruka head back to the bus.

Curious, Kakashi follows him.

“I'm just getting some aspirin,” Iruka says without turning around. “It's been a long day.”

He's been the one doing most of the wrangling. He doesn't say that, but Kakashi has seen him quietly gathering up the strays and defusing fights despite his insistence that it isn't their job.

Kakashi follows him into the bus.

“You didn't bring a drink,” Kakashi explains when Iruka looks at him curiously.

“I figured I'd bring the pills back with me.”

That makes sense.

“Right.”

Reaching up for the first aid kit, Iruka asks, “You know you didn't bring a drink either, right?”

Kakashi glances at his empty hands. “I guess I didn't.”

Iruka gives him another curious look. “Is something wrong, Kakashi-sensei?”

“Not wrong, no.” Rubbing the back of his head, Kakashi admits, “I got so used to following you around today, I followed you here, too.”

The light is weak, but Kakashi is certain Iruka is blushing.

“Well, that's okay, then.”

“Is it?” Kakashi fights the urge to fidget. “It's okay for me to stand this close?”

They're already closer than colleagues would normally get.

Iruka clears his throat. “It's okay. You could stand closer if you wanted to.”

Kakashi swallows and takes a step closer. He's standing so close, Iruka’s elbow brushes his chest as Iruka sets the kit on the seat.

“Is this okay?” Kakashi asks.

Iruka nods. “You could still stand a little closer.”

At this point, they've moved beyond Kakashi’s realm of experience. “What if I didn't just want to stand?” he asks.

“What else were you thinking of doing?”

Kakashi ducks his head. His face is burning. The zinc, which he hasn't washed off, isn't doing anything to help with it. He knows what he wants to say, but he can't make his throat work.

“I…” He swallows. “Can I kiss you?” he asks in a rush.

Iruka closes his eyes. “Yeah,” he says faintly. He opens his eyes again and turns to face Kakashi. “Yeah, I'd like that.”

Way out of his element, Kakashi tilts his head and feels a rush of relief when Iruka touches his shoulders and leans up to meet him.

It's a short kiss, and Kakashi curls his fingers in Iruka’s school designated jacket when it ends. “Can I kiss you again?”

Iruka pulls on Kakashi’s shoulders and says, “I'd like that, too,” against the corner of Kakashi's mouth.

He's still smiling when Kakashi kisses him.

⁂

They don't get walked in on.

They don't stumble off the bus.

They don't have to straighten their clothes.

Much.

Kakashi’s hair is always a bit of a mess, and Iruka’s is back in its usual ponytail.

Kakashi leaves first, with only one quick delay for a kiss at the door.

Somehow, Guy notices and shouts, “The power of youth is-”

Asuma wordlessly pulls Guy back onto the bench, but he and Kurenai give Kakashi twin knowing looks. Genma does the same.

Fortunately, Kotetsu and Izumo are out fetching wayward children.

Kakashi isn't very fond of those looks, but when Iruka returns, packet of aspirin in hand, he nudges Asuma over so Iruka has room to sit next to him.

One table over, Naruto jumps onto the bench and slams his foot down on the table. “You wanna bet!”

Sasuke, still seated, asks, “Why would I bet if I can climb that fence faster than you when I already know I can?”

“Naruto!” Kakashi calls, pitching his voice to carry so he doesn't yell in Iruka’s ear. “Foot off the table. And no climbing fences out here. Wait until we get back to Hidden Leaf. Then you can climb whatever fences you want.”

Iruka sighs. "He's going to climb all of them. You know that, right?"

⁂

Iruka is sitting next to Kakashi on the bus, nodding off with his head on Kakashi’s shoulder, when Kakashi sees the muzzle of a squirt gun peek out into the aisle.

"Naruto," Iruka warns.

The muzzle disappears.

⁂

Kakashi has to wait for two hours after they return to get another kiss, but it's partly his fault since they have to spend half an hour of that time chasing after Naruto and Sasuke as they climb, jump, and tackle each other over every fence.

"That was your fault," Iruka says as he finds Kakashi just inside the school's front doors. "I had to wash myself off because Naruto got stuck after running through puddles and kicked me when I tried to help him off the fence because he thought I was Sasuke."

Kakashi winces. "Sasuke threw a rock at me because he thought I was Naruto, for what it's worth."

Sighing, Iruka shakes his head.

"Can I still get a kiss?" Kakashi asks.

Iruka's expression lifts, and he nods quickly.

He has to lean up on his toes to kiss Kakashi, and when Kakashi puts his hands on Iruka's hips, steadying him, Iruka hums happily.

Two hours seems like a short wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Ngl I straight up did not even try to proofread this. I'll get to it soon, but in the meantime, sorry!
> 
> The full line is "the sea dances its morning on my enlightened bones", which is from "Sea Mercy" by Muriel Rukeyser
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr](https://asotin.tumblr.com) if you'd like to!


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